Micro discharge devices can be used in various applications including chemical sensing, for instance (e.g., as a part of a gas chromatograph (GC)). In operation, micro discharge devices can apply a voltage across a gas and create a plasma, thereby exciting electrons to higher energy levels. As the electrons return to lower energy levels, photons of light may be emitted at various wavelengths characteristic of particular atoms and/or molecules. Such emission can be received by an optical emission collector (e.g., optical fiber and/or optical transmission line) and used to determine a chemical composition of the gas, for instance.
However, previous micro discharge devices that incorporate an optical emission collector within and/or near a plasma of a micro discharge device may introduce contaminants into the gas. Additionally, in previous approaches, optical emission collectors may be prone to degradation and/or damage caused by the harsh environment associated with the plasma and/or gas(es).